Connection
by Ashihiro Tokoma
Summary: Katara has been visiting all the leaders of the three nations to establish global peace. She doesn't want to go home because she'll be forced into an arranged marriage. But what happens when the Fire Lord provides shelter for the runaway princess?
1. Arrival

**Ok, I said it was rated M and would have lemons, but I decided not to because I suck at that stuff. It'll just be a teen romance.**

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It was two years after the war. Katara of the Southern Water Tribe was on her way to the Fire Nation to discuss business with the Fire Lord. She was nearly there; she could see the palace from the hill she stood on. Momo was perched on her shoulder, having previously been terrified by the long and fast trip across the ocean. Katara was very good at wave riding, but now she would have to walk the rest of the way. She was clad in a beautiful blue silk dress with the Water Tribe insignia on the back. Her dark, wavy hair was pinned up in a bun with a white rose stuck in the center.

"Okay, Momo, this is the last nation we visit. We just need one more signature on this global peace treaty and we'll be ready to go home."

But home was the last place Katara wanted to go. Since her father was now the official Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, she was expected to get married within the year. If she returned, there might be a new husband waiting for her. Hakoda knew it wasn't fair to her, but there were new laws that had to be upheld. Katara figured that if she didn't go back, those laws would no longer apply to her. Of course she would have to return Momo to Aang somehow...without him telling her she shouldn't run away from her problems and all that crap. She could run if she wanted to, it wasn't anyone else's business...and she would stay away from home if she didn't have to give her father the peace treaty. Momo wasn't a messenger hawk, he couldn't take the treaty all the way back to the Southern Water Tribe...

As Katara walked into the city, everyone stopped and stared at her, whispering different things among themselves, "That's the representative from the Water Tribes, the Waterbender girl who traveled with the Avatar!" "I heard she was beautiful and wise; the Fire Lord seems to have a high opinion of her." "If we weren't at peace, I'd like to tell her to go home and mind her own business! That little wench has no right marching into _our_ city to talk to _our_ Fire Lord."  
Katara forced herself to ignore them and kept walking until she reached the palace.

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**Sorry it was so short...I had to make some adjustments, too. I'm getting better at this, haha.**


	2. Compromise

**Sorry, I don't know why it repeated on chapter 2...I had to finish this real quick so I could fix that problem. Don't worry, it gets better! I don't know if I'm good at this or not...**

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When Katara reached the palace, theguards allowed her to pass without question. Somewhat puzzled, she turned and went back to them.

"You aren't even going to ask who I am?"

The taller guard said, "The Fire Lord was expecting you, my lady. He told us what the representative looked like and gave us strict orders that you were to be obeyed without question for as long as you were here."

Katara tried not to smile. Same old Zuko...

"Very well. Although anyone could have overheard Fire Lord Zuko giving this order and simply dressed like me, could they not?"

"I doubt that, my lady. The Fire Lord described you as the most beautiful young lady in the Water Tribes, and if you'll pardon me for saying so, there are no Fire Nation women with such radiant blue eyes as yours."

Katara was embarrassed about what Zuko said, but hid it as well as she could.

"Well, I can see you're quite clever. Sharp vision is a good quality for a guard to posess. What is your name?"

"Han Shu, my lady."

"Han Shu...I'll see that Fire Lord Zuko rewards you."

"Thank you, my lady."

The guard bowed and Katara went into the palace. He was a young man around 18, and very handsome...Katara pushed that idea out of her head and entered the throne room, unaware that the young guard stared at her until she was out of sight.

To Katara's surprise, Zuko wasn't there. The throne room was empty. She asked a passing maid where he was.

"I assume he must be in the garden, my lady. He said he needed some time to prepare himself before you arrived, and that he was not to be disturbed."

"Thank you, but I don't think he'd mind much if I disturbed him. Well, he won't start shooting fireballs at me, anyway."

As Katara went off to the garden, the maid stared after her, shocked that an outsider would talk that way about their beloved Fire Lord.

Sure enough, Zuko was in the garden, admiring his mother's rosebushes and feeding a family of turtle ducks. Katara leaned against the wall, observing him quietly for a moment. She didn't know whether to laugh at his feminism or admire his sensitivity.

"I know you're here." Zuko said suddenly. "And just because I like pretty things and baby turtle ducks it doesn't make me girly."

"I never said that."

"But you were thinking it."

"Well it's true. You do have a girly streak."

"Blame my mother for that."

"I thought it was because your older girl cousins used to dress you up like a girl when you were a baby."

"That too."

He stood up and they stared indifferently at each other for a few seconds. Finally neither of them could hold it in. Katara started laughing and ran into Zuko's arms. She realized how much she'd missed being held by him.

"Gosh, it's been such a long time!" Katara said. "You haven't changed a bit - but you do need a haircut."

She ruffled his long hair playfully.

"Well, you've changed a lot. You hardly look like the same person." Zuko said. "And I have to have long hair, I'm the Fire Lord."

"Exactly. So you can cut your hair all you want, cause you're the boss of everyone."

"I'm not the boss of you."

"You got that right, mister. And I haven't changed that much, have I?"

"Yeah, you have. That outfit makes you look like a queen."

Katara blushed a little. Then she remembered what would happen when she got home...

"Actually, it's funny you should say that..."

"Why?" Zuko asked.

"...It's customary for a Chief's daughter to marry the year she turns 16. When I get home, Dad'll probably have a husband picked out for me."

Zuko was quiet for a moment, as if he was deep in thought.

"Why not Aang?"

Although it was kind of a serious discussion, Katara laughed a little.

"First of all, he's not old enough. You gotta be 16 or older. And apparently nobody's told you that he's with Toph now."

"Oh. So what are you going to do?"

Katara got an idea...

"Well...I'd have to live somewhere else...and this place is pretty roomy..."

"Are you crazy? Everyone knows you're here! If you stay here too long, they'll start to think...well, it just wouldn't be a good idea."

"Is the big, powerful Fire Lord afraid for his reputation?" Katara said teasingly.

"No, I'm afraid for yours. They'll be calling you a whore!"

"But I'm not a whore. And you can just get up there and tell them that- 'Hey all you people, Princess Katara of the Southern Water Tribe IS NOT A WHORE! She's the sweetest and prettiest girl in the world!' "

"Come on, Katara, be serious. It won't work."

"Yes it will. Trust me."

Zuko sighed, knowing he wouldn't win this argument.

"Fine. Now where did your retarded lemur go with that peace treaty?"

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**Haha, retarded lemur...I crack myself up. If Zuko said 'retarded' in real life, I'd die out laughing. I always picture my stories happening in my head while I'm writing, and Zuko just melted when Katara used her puppy dog eyes on him. She's become such a flirt! No wonder she doesn't want to get married-she's too busy checking out every guy who talks to her, haha. I started laughing when I wrote that she called him girly. Zuko's a mama's boy, and Katara's a daddy's girl. I might write something where they're little kids, too...that sounds fun.**


	3. Rooms and Rebels

**This is as much as I can update for now, one chapter per story, sorry! I rarely finish stories because I get into permanent writer's block, but I will try very hard to finish everything! Be on the lookout for my Teen Titans and Harry Potter stories! Both of these contain characters I made up. Please please please please please don't steal my ideas, people! Hehe**

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Once they found Momo and Zuko signed the treaty (making sure Katara put it in a place where the lemur couldn't get at it), he set about arranging a room for Katara. She was amused and flattered that he wanted everything perfect for her. She found him inspecting the room critically, and she could tell he was a bit frustrated that she'd talked him into this.

"Relax, I have a plan figured out for everything." she said.

Zuko turned around at the sound of her voice. "So what are you going to tell the others? You're staying here because you don't want to get married?"

"No, I don't want them to think I'm rejecting the traditions of our culture."

"But you are."

"I'll tell them I'm too sick to travel."

"Then they'll come here. You won't be able to fake it for long."

"I told you, I've got this all figured out. You worry too much."

"Who said I was worried?"

Katara walked up to him and stared into his gold eyes, studying the face of the man she knew so well.

"You are worried. But it's not just this, is it?"

"No. Groups of rebels have been trying to start riots all over the Fire Nation. We haven't been able to catch them all, and there could even be an attack on the palace...that's why I didn't want you staying here."

Even though Katara was deeply touched that he cared so much, she couldn't help laughing a little.

"Zuko, come on. You know if this place was attacked while I was here, it'd be the rebels who'd have to worry. I'm just as good a fighter as I was two years ago."

Zuko gazed fondly at her.

"I know. I just didn't want you to be burdened with the problems of the Fire Nation, that's all."

All this was becoming too much for Katara. If Zuko said one more thing like that...well, let's just say the Fire Lord might be spotted coming out of someone else's room the next morning. Damn, why did he have to make her melt like that all the time?

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**Sorry it kinda sucks...the kiss will come soon, I promise. And it'll be a good one, hehe.**


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